(Washington, DC)-Pharmaceutical Care Management Association (PCMA) President and CEO Mark Merritt issued the following statement supporting comparative effectiveness research being included in both the House and Senate economic stimulus bills:

“Comparative effectiveness research will improve clinical decision-making, enhance quality and discourage wasteful spending.

“Pharmacy benefit managers (PBMs) have long been at the forefront of efforts to bring more measurement, accountability, and real-time information to the health care system.  Along with pharmacy & therapeutics (P&T) committees, other proven PBM utilization tools-including multi-tier formularies and step therapy-ensure patients have access to cost-effective and clinically proven prescription drugs.”

###

PCMA is the national association representing America’s pharmacy benefit managers (PBMs), which administer prescription drug plans for more than 210 million Americans with health coverage provided through Fortune 500 employers, health insurance plans, labor unions, and Medicare Part D.